Could it be?
by myerised
Summary: Harry has been feeling rather odd lately and is not sure why.  Little does he know that his arch-nemesis, Draco, has been feeling the same way...
1. Chapter 1

It had been a long day, and Harry was exhausted. Trudging up the stairs to his dormitory, he felt as if all of the weight of the world had been placed on his shoulders. Ron and Hermione had tried to get him out of the funk all week. Ron kept offering to take Harry out to the Quidditch pitch to help him work on his flying, but Harry declined. Hermione had just hugged him and asked him if he wanted to talk, but Harry declined. Even Ginny, who had not taken their breakup well at all, had asked Harry if he needed anything. But all Harry wanted to do was sleep.

He had been feeling so weird lately. Like there was something about him that was different that he couldn't figure out. He felt so angry all the time. But he was doing fine in school, there was no drama with him and any of his friends, and no drastic changes had been made in his life. But still, every night when the lights went off, and Harry was sure that Ron, Dean, and Seamus were all asleep, the tears streamed out. He had had enough practice with his secret crying to be able to cry without making so much as one small sniffle. Harry was aware of the bags under his eyes and his blotchy, red cheeks he always had when he woke up, he had just hoped no one else noticed. But Harry knew that his roommates knew something was up, considering they always looked at him questionably when he woke up.

This night, Harry was feeling particularly depressed. Looking down at his shoes has he plodded up the stairs, he nearly ran right into someone coming down the opposite direction.

"Watch it, Potter!"

Harry's head snapped up and he saw Draco standing there, glaring. "Draco, I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

His voice was so pathetic, Draco felt something inside him snap. "It's alright," he began tentatively, glancing around to see if anyone else was in the vicinity. "Just watch where you're going next time, okay?" Harry nodded, and Draco felt another twinge of sympathy. His eyes looked so glassy and so red. He looked pale and weak, and he had definitely lost weight. For a moment, Draco thought the dramatic weight loss could have been from Quidditch practices, but the more he thought, the more sure he was that he hadn't seen Harry on the pitch in days.

Or at dinner.

"Are you okay?"

The words escaped Draco's mouth before he could even think.

Harry's head snapped up even faster this time, and he blinked rapidly. Was his arch-enemy really asking him if he was okay? And was he truly as genuine as he sounded. Cautiously, Harry shrugged and tried to walk past Draco, but Draco impulsively stuck out an arm, blocking his path.

"Seriously, Potter."

"Since when do you care, Malfoy?"

This question caught Draco off guard. He pursed his lips and took a minute to collect his thoughts.

Draco had been having a rough few weeks as well. Nothing made him happy or brought him joy. He felt hollow and empty. Bullying the Hufflepuffs and first-years wasn't fun anymore. When playing Quidditch, he didn't get the ecstasy of accomplishment he did when he caught the snitch. He wasn't exactly sure of when he began feeling this way, but he knew it was pretty recent. He had given up on trying to figure out why or when the feelings of gloominess had began. He was beginning to give up on himself, on the reputation he had earned. Which is why he didn't even think twice when he admitted, "Harry, I always have."

Harry, taken aback, couldn't decide what had shocked him more: the fact that Draco called him 'Harry', or the fact he cared about him (or at least claimed to). He was able to collect himself enough to stammer out a reply.

"That would explain why you have insisted on making the past few years of me and my friends' lives at Hogwarts a living hell."

Draco had to give himself a moment before replying. "It's because I have a reputation to uphold, Harry. I have high expectations that my father has set for me. And I can't fail my father. He has too much faith in me. Do you realize that if he were here right now, in this moment, with us, he would probably disown me? Just talking to you goes against everything he's asked me to do."

Harry made another attempt pass Draco, who finally lifted his arm from the railing and rested it upon Harry's shoulder. Giving it a quick squeeze, Draco lowered his voice and said, "Honestly, Harry. I've been having a rough couple of weeks too. If you want to talk to me, you know where to find me." Offering a small smile, Draco sidled in between the railing and Harry and made his way down the stairs, leaving Harry to gaze at him in awe.

Bringing a hand up to the same shoulder that Draco touched, a thought crossed Harry's mind. It only lasted a millisecond, but it spoke volumes.

"Draco!" Harry hollered, spinning on his heel and thundering down the steps, hoping to reach him before it was too late. "Draco, hold on!"

As he reached the last flight of stairs on the spiral staircase, Harry saw him. Draco was waiting at the bottom, with a small, sad smile etched across his face. Harry hesitantly walked up to him and whispered, "I do need someone to talk to."

Draco blinked, his smile quickly fading, a feeling of confusion crawling across his face. Harry's heart sank and his stomach physically hurt, so humiliated for falling for Draco's fake act of compassion. But then he felt something warm and soft on his elbow, and looking down, he saw Draco's hand. Giving it a quick squeeze, Draco nodded towards the Slytherin dungeons and began walking, never taking his hand from Harry's elbow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Do you know where Harry went?" Hermione asked, looking up from her textbook for the first time in an hour. Ron, clearly having just woken up, rubbed his eyes and straightened himself up in the red velvet chair and mumbled, "Nope, no idea." Hermione sighed loudly and said, "Honestly, Ronald. Could you at least stay awake long enough to attempt to study?"

"Hermione, I did study."

"For a mere fifteen minutes!"

"That's fifteen minutes longer than usual."

"Oh, forget it. I told Harry to meet us here an hour ago, and he's still not here!" she exclaimed, closing her book. "He's never late like this."

"I don't know what you're freaking out about," Ron said nonchalantly, glancing around the empty common room. "He probably fell asleep. He's been doing that often these days."

"I know, and it's worrying me," Hermione admitted, playing with the fringe on the hem of her skirt. "Harry seems to be acting a big off, don't you agree?" Ron shrugged his shoulders and nodded. "I suppose so."

"Should we go look for him?"

"Hermione, seriously, chill out." Ron was beginning to get frustrated now. "I'm sure he's fine. You've been studying too hard, you need to take a break."

Hermione reluctantly set her book on the coffee table and stood up, offering her hand to Ron. "Alright then, shall we do something else?" Ron grasped her small hand in his and lifted himself out of his chair. "I guess so," he began. "I mean, I guess we could go to the great hall and see if anyone is there. The Gryffindor rooms are dead empty."

Making their way down the staircase, Ron pinched the back of Hermione's arm and motioned his head toward a couple of first-years who were maneuvering their way through the massive crowd at the bottom of the staircase, one of them holding a full-sized map of Hogwarts. Hermione bit her lip to contain her laughter, but Ron couldn't help it and let out a hearty laugh. Hermione hit his stomach, and to her surprise, he let out a gasp and exclaimed, "Hermione! Ow!" Hermione found herself in a fit of giggles. Laughing so hard that tears were filling the corners of their eyes, the skipped down the rest of the stairs. Suddenly, Hermione thrust her arm out in front of Ron, stopping him short of nearly falling down the last few stairs.

"Hermione!" Ron caught himself on the railing, and glared up at her.

"Look, look, look!" Hermione was pointing frantically, the smile gone from her face. Following her gaze, Ron gazed across the room and saw what Hermione was so shocked to see.

Draco and Harry were walking toward the Slytherin common room, and it looked as if they were holding hands.

"No way." Ron couldn't stop staring. "Are they...?"

"It looks like it," Hermione replied. "No, they're not. But Draco definitely has his arm around Harry or something."

Ron winced and turned around. "Well that's not something you see every day. What do you think is going on?"

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "Ronald, how would I know? But I say we don't make any assumptions, and we talk to Harry tonight before bed. I'm sure he'll explain everything to us."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Glacing over his shoulder, Harry was sure he saw a bushy mane of brown hair acompanied by a flash of fiery red hair. Praying that it was just an illusion and his two best friends really didn't see him and Draco together, Harry gulped and turned back around.

"Is everything alright?" Draco asked, still clutching onto Harry's elbow. Harry nodded slowly and looked back, but the two people were gone. "Are you sure?" It took Harry a moment to realize that Draco was talking to him. "Yes, Draco, I'm fine," he replied, lowering his head. He didn't want to be seen by any of his fellow Gryffindors. The hate he would recieve for hanging out with a Slytherin, especially Draco Malfoy, would be enormous.

Draco murmered a password that Harry couldn't catch, and soon they were into the Slytherin dungeons. There were dozens of students mulling around the common room, some studying, some eating, but most were just talking and having a good time. It was so loud that no one even heard Draco and Harry enter.

"Keep your head down, Harry," Draco insisted. "We'll both be in deep trouble if we get caught." Harry nodded and ducked. Draco's grip on his elbow tightened, and Harry heard him whisper, "It's way more crowded in here than I thought it would be. We can go to my room."

Draco led Harry through a maze of hallways and descended down a plethora of staircases before he finally stopped in front of a door. Draco pulled out a shiny gold key from his pocket and inserted it in the lock and turned it. Harry heard a small click, and Draco gingerly pushed the door open. Harry held his breath, praying that no one was there.

Thankfully, the room was empty. Draco let out a sigh or relief, turned to Harry, and gave him a small but genuine smile. He pushed the door shut and locked it. "Okay, Harry. Let's make this quick because if someone comes in here...I don't even know what they would do. They would destroy me."

Harry suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Draco. His father had left a legacy at Hogwarts, and Draco did have such high expectations to meet. Draco had put on a tough face for the past few years at the school, but as Harry could now see, he was a victim, not a villian. He had a heart. His father had just programmed him not to use it.

Until now. Maybe this was a breakthrough for Draco. Maybe Draco would start to go his own way and defy his father. Maybe Draco would find out who he really was and not what his father wanted him to be. But Harry didn't let his guard down. The kindness and legitmacy that Draco was projecting could all be a facade, like it had been so many times before. But somehow, Harry knew things were different this time around.

The silence was awkward. Draco was sitting on his bed and Harry was standing in front of him, neither one talking or moving. Finally Draco nodded toward the empty space on the bed next to him. "You know you're allowed to sit down, right?" Harry mumbled a quick "thanks" and took a seat next to him. Suddenly, the silence was comforting, rather than awkward. They just sat there for a few minutes before Harry mustered up the courage to talk. "Honestly, I've just been feeling kind of...off lately, I suppose. Quidditch doesn't make me happy anymore. Whenever I'm hanging out with Ron and Hermione, I can't have fun. I don't know why. I've never been able to focus during school, but it's getting worse. I can't sleep at night and I'm never hungry. I just feel really lost and alone, and I know I should be able to talk to Ron about this, but for some reason I can't. I feel like he wouldn't understand." The words came tumbling out and, before he could stop himself, Harry felt the tears coming. Choking on his words, he was able to utter out a barely recognizable "Draco, what is wrong with me?"

Draco was silent. Harry felt his stomach drop and instantly felt a surge of regreat explode through his veins. "I'm so sorry, I really should go. I shouldn't be talking to you about this." Standing up, Harry made a move for the door, but Draco leaped across the room and blocked Harry from leaving. This time, Draco's eyes were the ones filling with tears. "Harry, no. Please don't go. I really need to talk to you." His body started twitching, and Harry could tell it was taking all of his strength to not break down. Draco leaned up against the door and slowly slid to the floor, bringing his legs up and hiding his head in his knees, his body shaking.

"Draco..." Harry's voice trailed off, not certain of what he should say. He squatted down next to Draco, unsure of what to do. "Draco, what's wrong?" But Draco only shook his head, the his body shaking even harder. They sat like that for a few minutes before Draco lifted his head, and pools of tears escaped from his red eyes and streamed down his cheeks. Rubbing his eyes with shaking hands, he finally admitted, "Harry, I need to tell you something."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Harry's heart started pounding. What in the world would Draco possibly have to tell him? And why would Draco choose to confide in Harry, rather than in his two best friends, Crabbe and Goyle? His head spinning, Harry's eyes darted around the room, desparate to avoid Draco's piercing blue ones.

"I...I think I have feelings for someone..." Draco's voice trailed off uncertainly. His hands were nervously playing with the zipper on his jacket, and he looked down to avoid Harry's confused face.

"So?" Harry was furious. He had dragged Harry through all of this, just to tell him that he had feelings for someone? Harry stood up and looked Draco straight in the eye and declared, "If you caused all of this drama just to tell me you have a crush on some girl, I'm gone." When Draco didn't reply, Harry made a move towards the door, but Draco grabbed his hand. "Harry, wait!" He sounded so desparate that Harry didn't even try to pull away. "My feelings aren't for some girl...they are for a special boy."

Harry turned around, unsure of what to say. After a slight pause, he ventured to say, "Well that changes things, I suppose." Draco managed a small smile and said, "Yes, it kind of does." Harry sat back down next to Draco, not wanting to ask the obvious question. He was sure it was Crabbe or Goyle, but he had not had any experience with someone "coming out" and did not have the slightest clue of how to act or what to say.

"So you're gay?" Harry blurted out, just to fill the silence, instantly regretting it. That definitely was not the right thing to say.

"Yes," Draco replied honestly, without hesitating.

"Any why is that a problem?"

"Do you have any idea of what my father would say?" Draco started to get emotional again. "Especially if he knew who the boy was that I have feelings for. My father has told me time and time again that I need to marry a good Slytherin girl and have children that will carry the Malfoy name on. They will all be sorted into Slytherin, just like all of my ancestors have, and the legacy will continue. But the person I have feelings for isn't a girl, and he isn't a Slytherin, either." That ruled out Crabbe and Goyle. Harry, thoroughly confused now, remained quiet, in order to let Draco finish. "If he knew, he would disown me. He would hate me. He would throw me out of the Malfoy family and abandon me." Draco rubbed his eyes, and looked up at Harry. "Do you understand now?"

"Yes, Draco. You can't come out to your family because they would disown you," Harry summarized. Draco nodded and buried his head in his hands, his shoulders heaving. Harry placed a tentative hand on his back and rubbed in small circles, trying to calm him down. "It's all right, it's all right. Draco, just don't tell your parents."

"But this is who I am!" Draco exclaimed. "I'm sick of hiding who I am. I've done it my entire life, and I can't do it any more, I physically and mentally can't do it! I've always known there was something different about me. I didn't know what it was until I got older, and my friends would point out the pretty girls at Hogwarts, but I didn't care. I wasn't looking at them." Draco's cheeks were burning, clearly embarrassed. "And then one day it hit me, why I was different. I didn't want to believe it, because I knew my father would be absolutely ashamed. Humiliated. I tried dating Pansy Parkinson, but it didn't change me. Harry, I don't know what to do. I can't hide this anymore, but I can't tell anyone." Harry sighed in frustration. He was not equipped to handle this situtation.

"Have you tried talking to Crabbe or Goyle? They're your best friends," Harry offered. "I'm sure they know your father well and will help you be able to tell him."

"I can't tell Crabbe and Goyle that I'm gay!" Draco yelled, getting angry now. He was standing up, his hands clutching the corners of his bedside table. He was bent over, his head dropped, his white-blonde hair hiding his face. He took a moment for himself, before raising his head and looking at Harry with those electric blue eyes. "Harry, don't you see? Don't you see why I chose to tell you this? Because the special boy that I like, the one who isn't in Slytherin, is you!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ron and Hermione had been back in the Gryffindor common room for an hour when they heard the Fat Lady start singing. The voice on the other side of the door was clearly irritated, telling the Fat Lady to stop and to let him in. Barely looking up from her homework, Hermione snickered and murmered to Ron, "Some things never change, do they? Four years we've been telling her to knock that singing off and she insists on doing it anyway."

"That's a woman for you," Ron replied, fully expected to recieving a slap from Hermione. When it didn't come, Ron glanced up at Hermione, who was looking at the door. Ron followed her gaze and watched as Harry shut the door softly behind him. Harry's hand lingered on the doorknob for a moment, dreading having to turn around and face his two best friends. His legs felt like jello, his stomach was tied up in a knot, and he was mentally exhausted. The only thing motivating him to turn around was the fact that he would be one step closer to his bed.

"Is everything all right, Harry?" Hermione asked cautiously. "We saw you with Draco..." Her voice wavered off when she saw Harry wince at Draco's name.

"What's wrong, mate?" Ron stood up, concerned. "You look awful."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said flatly, dragging himself towards the stairs. "I'm going to bed, I'll see you guys tomorrow at breakfast."

And that was that. As much as Hermione and Ron tried to convince Harry to talk to them, they got the same reply: "I'm tired, I'll talk to you tomorrow." And each time Harry said, his tone was a little more irritated. Just when he was ready to snap, Hermione placed a hand on Ron's arm, stopping him mid-sentence, and said simply, "Okay, good night, Harry." Ron closed his mouth, a look of bewilderment crawling across his face. Harry turned around before either one of them could start talking again and trudged off to the dorms.

"Hermione, would you mind telling me what that was about?" Ron asked, exasperated.

"Look, Ronald. The more we pester him about telling us what's wrong, the less likely he is to confide in us. Just give him time, I suppose."

"I don't want to give him time. He's my best friend, and someone's wrong with him. I want to know what it is and I want to know now. I have the right to know now."

"He's my best friend, too," Hermione said, gathering her books up in her arms. "I'm concerned about him too. Just give him time, Ron. In the mean time, I think I'll head up to bed. I'll see you at breakfast, okay?" Ron nodded, mumbled a goodbye, and headed for the boys dorms.

Once he arrived to the room that he, Harry, Dean, and Seamus shared, he was glad to see that the only one there was Harry, who was already lying in bed, the covers pulled up over his head. Ron took a seat on his bed, which was right next to Harry's, and began putting his pajamas on, hoping that Harry would start talking to him. But the room remained silent. Ron turned off the light and crawled into bed, lying there for a minute before saying quietly, "Harry, you know that you're my best friend. Actually, you're more like a brother. You know you can tell me anything. Whatever you're going through, I'm sorry, and I hope it gets better. Okay? Okay. Good night."

"Thanks," Harry whispered back, sure that Ron had not heard him. He gave a sad smile. Ron was never sentimental like this; it was a nice surprise. Ron did care about him, Ron truly did want to help Harry. But what Draco had told Harry tonight would probably be too much for Ron to handle. Plus, Harry had promised Draco that he wouldn't tell anyone about what happened, especially Ron.

"Draco's gay." The words had escaped Harry's mouth before he could stop them. The room seemed to be eerily quiet. Harry slapped his hand over his mouth. "Oh God, Ron, I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

"No, it's okay, I'm glad you did." Ron sounded completely serious. Harry had expected him to laugh, to make fun of Draco, to want to plot against Draco and make the entire school aware of his hidden sexuality. It felt like hours had gone by, but in reality, it was only a few minutes. Ron still wasn't laughing, or even smiling for that matter. He wasn't really doing anything. Harry sat up in bed so he could see Ron. "Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if you were still awake."

"Yeah, I'm here," Ron replied. Harry put his glasses back on and saw that Ron was sitting up in bed too, playing with the fringe on his blanket that his mother had sewn him. Harry looked down at his own blanket that Mrs. Weasley had sewn him. His was starting to fray on the edges, too.

"Okay." Harry breathed out deeply, uncomfortable in the silence.

"Well, is that all?" Ron asked.

"No, not really."

"Do you want to tell me what else is going on, or do I have to guess?"

"I mean, I don't really want to tell you what's going on, but since I kind of let it slip about why I was talking to Draco, I guess I kind of have to, don't I?"

"Not necessarily," Ron began tentatively. "I mean, this is heavy stuff. We can talk about it in the morning with Hermione, if you would rather."

"No!" Harry yelled, surprising himself with the volume of his voice. "I mean, no. I love Hermione, you know that, but we have always been closer. And I need do this one at a time."

"Do what?"

"Talk about what me and Draco were talking about."

When Ron didn't reply right away, Harry started getting nervous. He felt his palms start to get sweaty and he wiped them on his blanket. Ron had mentioned guessing; what if that's what he was doing right now? What if Ron had their secret all figured out? What if Ron decided to tell everyone what was happening?  
>"I won't tell anyone. I promise," Ron began, pausing to collect his thoughts. "I'm not going to judge you, Harry. You're still my best friend, no matter what happens between you and Draco."<p>

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, his face reddening, his palms breaking out in sweat again. What did he mean? Harry's insides were filled with butterflies.

"I think I know what's going on."

"What do you mean?" Harry repeated, his voice louder this time. He didn't feel like his voice belonged to him. It was like he was having an out-of-body experience. That's probably what this was, there is no way that this could be real. This couldn't be happening right now, right?

"I know why Draco decided to tell _you_ about...his...secret," Ron began. "I mean, not going to lie, I did not see this coming at all, but I don't hate you. So if that's why you were scared to tell me that Draco likes you, well, don't be scared, because I don't hate you."

Harry smiled and walked over to his best friend, embracing him, praying that Ron wouldn't ask the next obvious question. Ron pulled away and looked at Harry, asking, "What about you? How do you feel about Draco?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

A few days had passed since his discussion with Ron, and for the most part, Draco had bene avoiding Harry. Everyime they passed each other in the hallway, Draco's face reddened and he found someone to talk to. Harry had felt a little embarrassed too, but for some reason, he felt free. Quidditch was fun again. Even Hermione commented on his mood change. Ron was able to make him laugh again. He refrained from talking about the pretty girls at Hogwarts, which, for some strange reason, made Harry very happy.

Also, Harry had been sleeping through the night, without crying or bad dreams. On this particular day, for the first time all year, Harry didn't wake up to the piercing siren of an alarm clock that rested on his nightstand. He was awoken by the rays of golden sunlight that shown through the windows in his room, the shape of the class casting the beams in all different directions. And for the first time all year, Harry didn't dread getting himself out of bed at the crack of dawn; he felt refreshed and relaxed. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and putting on his classes, wide awake. Looking around the room, he noticed that all of his friends were still asleep. He glanced at the clock. He was awake an hour early.

Since he normally was running late to breakfast, Harry decided to take advantage of this extra time and get all of his things for his first class gathered, that way he could swing by after breakfast to pick up his book bag and not be late to class, for once. He moved as quietly has humanly possible, searching for his textbooks and scrambling to finish the homework he did not do. However, about halfway through, he stopped and looked back at the clock. He still had forty minutes until everyone else would wake. He had plenty of time to get his things together. What he really wanted to do with this time was walk around the castle, alone.

Harry had mentally felt alone for weeks, but he was physically always crowded. With the hundreds of students at Hogwarts seemingly always nearby, it was rare that Harry truly was alone, no one around to bother him. He ran his hand up the brass railing of the spiral staircase as he ascended the stairs towards the Gryffindor tower, wanting to get to the very top and look out at all of England.

When he reached the final step, he slowly twisted the doorknob and stepped into the tower. He shut the door behind him and walked to the edge of the tower. He grasped his hands around the pole that went around the perimeter of the tower and leaned forward, breathing in the fresh morning air. _This was nice,_ he thought, closing his eyes and smiling. _I should do this more often._

"Harry?" Harry didn't open his eyes, silently praying that the voice had only been his imagination. All he wanted right now was to be alone. He was finally peaceful and enjoying himself, and now someone was on a mission to ruin it.

"Yes?" Harry asked, spinning around. He opened his eyes and found himself staring into Draco's light blue eyes. "Oh, Draco? What...what are you doing up here?"

"I come up here every morning. It's the once place that no one can find me," he explained. "It's not like any Slytherins would come within 100 yards of this place. And all you Gryffindors sleep so soundly...I like to come up here and think. The fresh air helps." He turned around, his back to Harry, and leaned forward against the railing. "It's a beautiful day out."

"I told Ron about you. It was an accident."

Draco remained silent and still as stone. When several minutes had passed and Draco had still not reacted, Harry slowly repeated himself. "I'm sorry, Draco. Ron and I were talking and the thing about you kind of slipped out?"

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, still facing away from Harry.

"You know what I mean, Draco." Harry was starting to get angry now. "The thing about you and me."

"I didn't know we had a thing." Draco spun around abruptly and took a step closer to Harry.

Harry tried to move back, but those eyes were pulling him in. "Well...I mean...we do, don't we?"

Draco smiled and shook his head slightly. "Harry, you don't understand what I mean. I'm trying to say that I didn't know _we _had a thing. I knew that I had a thing for you, but I didn't know that the feeling was mutual." Those eyes, those eyes. With every word Draco spoke, they seemed to glimmer and sparkle a little bit more until they resembled fireworks in a clear, blue sky. Harry was trembling now. What had he just admitted to?

"Unless, I'm making this all up. Wishful thinking can be a person's demise, you know." Draco cast his gaze downward, looking at the ground. He stepped out with his foot and brushed it against Harry's. "I like your shoes."

"Thanks." Harry's head was spinning, more confused that ever now.

"Can I be frank with you?" Draco asked, changing the subject.

"I suppose."

"You've been different lately. Ever since our talk. You seem happier, you're a better Quidditch player. You are showing up on time to meals and class. You have been getting better grades, and I see you laughing more and spending more time with your friends. Why is this so?"

This time, Harry didn't have to hesitate. "I've realized some things about myself, Draco. Things I've been denying for years. And now that I have finally come to terms with them, I feel better about myself. I feel free, and alive."

Draco's eyes sparkled again. "What kind of things?" he asked anxiously, stepping even closer to Harry this time.

Smiling a shaking smile and reaching out to clasp Draco's hand, Harry lowered his voice and whispered, "I think you know."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It had been a few days since the events on the top of Gryffindor tower, and Harry finally felt as though he was in a good place. The only thing bringing him down was the fact Draco insisted that they keep their relationship a secret.

"I just don't want my father to hear about this," Draco had told Harry the third morning after they had begun their secret dating. Unfortunately, because of this, the only time the two of them could really spend time together was in the early hours of the morning in the tower.

"Wow, that's a first," Harry couldn't help but throw in. Draco had finally cracked a smile and the two of them had spent the next couple hours talking, about everything and nothing at the same time.

On this particular morning, Harry and Draco were discussing about when they should make people aware of their relationship. Harry had told Ron that he had feelings for Draco, but ever since that night about a week and a half ago, they had not spoken about it. Ron never seemed to want to bring it up. Harry knew that Ron was totally okay with him having a boyfriend and wanted to be as supportive as possible, but it was easy to see that Ron wasn't comfortable discussing Harry and Draco's relationship.

"Draco, I feel like I should tell Hermione," Harry began. Draco opened his mouth to object, but Harry silenced him by placing his hand on Draco's arm. "Let me finish. Besides Ron, Hermione is my best friend; you know that. And Ron already knows about us, and Hermione is way better at keeping a secret than Ron."

"Has Ron told anyone?"

"No."

Draco looked away, pursing his lips and thinking. "It's not that I don't trust Hermione..." he said, his voice trickling off, obviously searching his brain for a reason that Hermione shouldn't know their secret, but failing to come up with one.

"But I told you it won't happen. Hermione is someone that you can trust. I feel so guilty keeping this from her," Harry explained. "I know she won't tell anyone if I ask her not to."

"I guess you can tell Hermione, if it makes you happy." Draco ran a hand across the side of Harry's head, his thumb lingering on the lightning bolt-shaped scar. He turned his head to the side and smiled. "If it makes you happy," he repeated, dropping his hand.

Harry took both of Draco's hands in his and gave them a small squeeze. "Thank you so much!" he said enthusiastically. "And I would love it if you came with me."

Draco shrugged. "Of course I will, if you want me to," he said. "I just don't want anyone else to see the three of us talking and get suspicious." Harry smiled sadly and nodded. "I wish we didn't have to keep this a secret. There's nothing I want more than to walk hand-in-hand with you around school and know that no one would care." Draco's eyes smiled, although his face remained unemotional. "I know, Harry. And I agree. But we both know that can never be. At least not for a very long while."

"I know," Harry sighed, leaning up against a pillar. "Well I guess we should be getting back, shouldn't we?" Draco nodded and laced his fingers through Harry's. "Come on, let's go." They held hands as they walked down the stairs, neither one of them speaking. As Harry unlocked the door that led them back into the Gryffindor common room, Draco let go of his hand.

They tip-toed into the common room. Luckily, no one was awake. Harry led Draco to the door and held it open for him as he silently slipped out. "Hermione and I have Potions together. Meet us after okay? We'll talk to her then." Draco nodded in agreement and gave a small wave. "Bye, Harry. I'll see you in a few at breakfast." Harry smiled and waved back, closing the heaving wood door.

Breakfast was torture. Harry physically couldn't eat, his stomach was so upset. Just watching everyone around him eating was enough to send him running to the restroom twice. He managed to take his time walking back the second time, and by the time he got back to the great hall, everyone was just finishing up their meals. The first two classes were a blur, and Harry couldn't remember one thing that was said in either one. Potions was his third class, and as excited he was about telling Hermione about this new chapter in his life he was beginning, he was equally as terrified.

Professor Snape seemed to be crueler than normal, which just intensified the sea of butterflies in Harry's stomach. He had always dreaded this class, but for once, he didn't want it to be over. Because when it was over, he would be forced to talk to Hermione. And there was no getting out of it, since he told her at breakfast that he needed to talk with her after potions.

Finally the bell rang, and the students began to rise out of their seats. Hermione was talking to Lavender Brown and exited the room with her, and Harry's hopes rose. Maybe she would forget about the talk she was supposed to have with Harry. But when he came out of the classroom, she was waving goodbye to Lavender and waiting right outside of the door. "So," she said, smiling, hugging her books to her chest. "what's up? What's going on?"

Harry's head was spinning, so much so that he couldn't wait for Draco to arrive. If he procrastinated any longer, he would chicken out. Why was it so much harder for him to tell Hermione than it was to tell Ron?

Maybe because now he and Draco were officially a couple.

"I was going to wait for Draco, but I don't think I can." Harry gave a nervous laugh, and frantically searched the corridors for his boyfriend. Seeing no sign of the white-blonde hair, he looked back at Hermione, and noticed the concern in her eyes. "I really don't know how to say this..." His voice wavered, then stopped completely. He couldn't find the words.

Suddenly, Hermione blurted, "Are you trying to tell me that you and Draco are dating?" Harry's eyes widened, taken by surprise. "Yes?" It was a question, not a response.

"Honestly Harry, I'm a girl, I can tell these things so easily. Did you really think I haven't noticed you guys staring at each during DADA and breakfast and dinner?" Hermione flung her arms around Harry, pulling him close. "I'm so happy for you both!"

"Thanks," Harry replied, pulling away, a smile finally finding it's way to his face. "Draco was supposed to come here and help me tell you after his class, but I guess he got held up by the teacher."

And Draco was being held up, but not by the teacher.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Seriously, you guys, stop it. Nothing's going on between me and Potter." Draco was cornered in the boy's restroom across from his third period classroom by Crabbe and Goyle, who were facing him, just inches from his face.

"Oh yeah? They why do I always see you two sneaking around all the time?" Crabbe demanded. "I may be stupid, but I notice things."

"Yeah!" Goyle chimed in, lightly shoving Draco into the wall, almost as if he were toying with him.

"Stop!" Draco hollered, attempting to get away from his so-called friends, but they just pushed him harder against the wall. "Stop, please, stop," Draco pleaded, fighting to keep the tears from escaping his electric blue eyes. "There's nothing going between me and Potter. We aren't sneaking around. If I'm ever with him, you can be sure that I'm giving him hell." Crabbe and Goyle looked unconvinced, crossing their arms and taking a step closer to Draco. Draco, panicking, let out a desperate, "Since when do you control me anyway? You're supposed to listen to what I say and do what I tell you to do!"

"You know what, Draco?" Crabbe began, giving Goyle a smirk. "We may have lived the past three years that way, but not anymore." Draco had never realized how _big _they were, especially Crabbe. He could see why everyone else saw them as so menacing. Now that he was on the other side of their bullying, he was absolutely terrified. "We've noticed you've been becoming a little...weak. We've noticed that you don't take charge the way you used to. You're not a leader anymore, Draco. You're not even a follower, that's how pathetic you are becoming. You don't do anything anymore. You're kinder, more compassionate, and we hate it. If anyone should be a leader here, it should be us, teaching you how to be a real Slytherin. Why are you a Slytherin, Draco? You sure don't deserve it." Draco winced, the words cutting him deep into his heart. But Crabbe's next words were the final blow: I'm sure Daddy Malfoy wouldn't want to hear that his son is turning into a coward, would he?"

Draco refused to let his eyes water. With him clearly losing this battle, the last thing he wanted to do was let Crabbe and Goyle see him cry, the true sign of defeat.

"And you know when all of this started?" Goyle asked, finally contributing to the conversation. Draco looked up at the lights, still fighting back the tears. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of answering.

"When you started hanging around with Potter!" Crabbe shouted. He took a threatening step forward, and Draco knew what was coming. He instinctively threw his arms up, protected his face, but Crabbe was quicker. He seemed to barely use any of his strength, but Draco still felt his jaw throbbing. What if it was broken? Someone kicked him, knocking him over, but Draco couldn't tell who it was. He collasped onto the tiled floor, curling up into a ball, whimpering, praying that they would just leave him alone. He was forced to endure a long round hysterical laughter before he finally heard them slam the bathroom door. Draco sat up when he was sure that they were gone, feeling his face. He didn't want to look in the mirror, but he needed to.

His eye was already starting to swell up and turn black. He lifted up his shirt and his pale stomach was red from where he had been kicked. Touching it, he winced, and knew he should expect a bruise there tomorrow morning. He turned his attention back to his face. His eyes were shiny, his cheeks wet, not bothering to try to hide his pain anymore.

So Crabbe and Goyle knew that he and Harry had been spending time together. And although both of them were stupid, they seemed to think that there was something more going on between Draco and Harry. What if they sensed their relationship? Draco tentaively brought his hand toward his eye, and screamed out in pain when his fingers brushed up against it. He stared at his reflection for a long, long time, and found himself thinking, _Is Harry worth all of this?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It had been a long day, but Harry wasn't tired at all. In fact, he was more energetic than usual. His day had gone from terrorizing to absolutely wonderful in the few minutes it took to confess to Hermione what was going on between him and Draco. Hermione hadn't stopped talking about how happy she was that Harry was in a relationship. She just kept repeating how adorable they looked together, and how she had known all along that there was something between them, but neither wanted to admit it. Harry noticed a change in Ron, too. He seemed much more comfortable around Harry, laughing and making jokes, even teasing Harry about Draco in only the way that best friends can. Hermione didn't seem upset at all that Harry had told Ron first, which Harry found pleasantly surprising. He felt as if thousands of pounds of chains had been lifted off of his shoulders. He felt so free because he didn't have to lug around this enormous burden on his shoulders.

He was seeing everything in a new light. The sun seemed to shine brighter. His classes even seemed more interesting. He was more excited for his next Quidditch practice than ever before. He enjoyed spending time with his friends more and felt himself making the jokes and providing the entertainment. Harry noticed all of these little details that he had never noticed before, like how pretty the flower gardens in the courtyards were. He was beginning to see the beauty of all of the little things in life. And to think that this whole new change was brought about by no one other than Draco Malfoy. Harry truly felt like an entire new person. It did scare him that who he used to be was going to be gone forever, but Draco was worth it.

The only thing putting a damper on this otherwise perfect day was that he had not seen Draco all day. He had a class with him, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Draco hadn't atteneded. Crabbe and Goyle were there, acting as if nothing were wrong, which midly concerned Harry. He knew that Draco was probably just not feeling good, or had gotten kept after by a professor in another class. If it was something serious, Crabbe and Goyle, his best friends, would be a lot more upset. They were laughing, making jokes, bullying the Hufflepuffs, and doing anything and everything to distract the class, just like they did every other day. The only difference was that their leader was missing. By the time his final class rolled around, his concern had increased to fear. He had heard Pansy Parkinson say in the hallway that she had heard a rumor that Crabbe had broken Draco's nose and he was in the hospital wing. Hary immediately raced to the infirmary as soon as his final class ended, declining an invitation from Ron and Hermione to study with them in the library.

When he got there, Madam Pomfrey said that she had no record of Draco Malfoy being admitted to the hospital wing. Harry's heart sank, not knowing where to go next. The only place he could think of was the Gryffindor common room. At least Ron and Hermione would be able to take his mind off of Draco for a little bit. He decided to stop by the bathroom on the way back to the Gryffindor common room. He went in and splashed cold water on his face and breathed out deeply, trying to clear his head. "Come on, Harry. He's fine." He cupped his hands once again, filling them with cold water, and splashed his face. He brought his head back up and looked in the mirror.

Then, he heard a sound coming from one of the stalls. It sounded like someone trying to say his name. Turning around, Harry hurried to the stall that the sounds were coming from. Sure enough, when he opened it, he saw Draco sitting there, his head in his hands, shoulders shaking. Harry set his hand on Draco's shoulder and exclaimed "Oh God, Draco! Are you okay?" Draco shook his head, slowly raising his head up, revealing to Harry his now blackened eye. His face was a bloody mess, dried blood surrounding his nose and streaked across his cheek. His nose was definitely crooked, and his left eye was swollen shut. It was clear that he had been crying. Harry's heart shattered into a million little pieces, and he kneeled down next to Draco, wrapping his arms around him. "Draco, who did this to you? What happened?" he asked, tears threatening to escape his own eyes. Draco just sniffled and shook his head, taking a few moments to collect himself. He pursed his lips and looked Harry straight in the eyes, finally saying, "Forget it, Harry. It's not worth it."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"What do you mean it isn't worth it?" Harry asked, his heartbeat increasing rapidly. Draco shook Harry off of him and stood up, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Telling you what happened," he replied hastily, walking over to the sing and washing his hands, avoiding his reflection. Harry bit his lip and leaned up against the wall, waiting for Draco to continue. "Harry, just drop it. Please." Draco turned to face Harry, looking at everything in the room besides Harry's eyes.

"No, Draco. I can't just drop it. "I want to know who did this to you and why," Harry demanded, stepping in front of Draco to prevent him from leaving the bathroom. He lowered his voice. "I care about you so much, and it breaks my heart that you're hurting and you won't tell me why." His words seemed to have an affect on Draco, because his facial expression softened and his shoulders dropped.

"Crabbe and Goyle."

Harry hadn't even realized that Draco had answered his question at first. He gave Draco a bewildered look before everything registered in his brain. Since Draco had finally seemed to calm down, Harry tried to hide his surprise, asking, "Really? How come?"

Draco sighed, exasperated. It was pointless to try to even lie about everything to Harry, so he told Harry the truth. He recalled everything that had happened to him, from the moment he walked into the bathroom and saw Crabbe and Goyle standing there to the moment that he heard the sound of their retreating footsteps. It pained him to see Harry's face twist and wince painfully with every detail, but Draco didn't want to leave anything out, and he didn't think Harry wanted him to, either. When he was finally finished, Draco watched Harry's face intently, waiting for an answer. Harry gave a small, sad smile and took Draco in his arms, hugging him tightly. "Draco, it's okay. It's okay," he repeated, resting his cheek on Draco's shoulder. They stood like that for a few minutes before Harry finally pulled away. "We should take you to Madam Pomfrey."

"No!" Draco shouted, his heart skipping a beat. "No, no, no, no, no, no! Believe me, that is the _last _thing I want. No one needs to know about this. I'll just go back to my room and pretend I'm sick."

"The rumor is spreading like wildfire, Draco," Harry explained. "Pansy was talking about it in the hallway. Well, she said you were in the infirmary, which was obviously false, but she said that she had heard that Crabbe and Goyle had beaten you up and broken your nose. I really do think your nose is crooked."

"You're friends with Hermione, you can ask her to fix it," Draco suggested. "But there is no way in hell that I am going to Madam Pomfrey. If Pansy is spreading rumors about me, the least I can do is not make them become true."

"But your nose is broken!" Harry exclaimed. "Please let me take you. Hermione is a great witch, but I'm not sure she would trust herself with something like repairing someone's nose."

"You're not taking me anywhere," Draco retorted, crossing his arms like a child. "The only place I'm going is to my room to get some sleep. Unless you want to sneak me into the Gryffindor common room and get Hermione to fix my nose." Harry sighed and agreed, admitting defeat. "She can probably fix your black eye, too." Draco smiled and strode towards the door. "Good."

Harry rolled his eyes in frustration and reluctantly followed Draco. They had just reached the door when Draco shouted out in pain. He brought his hand down from the top of his head. "There's a bump," he commented, gritting his teeth. Harry lifted his hand lightly touched the gigantic bump that was forming on the top of Draco's head. The shattered pieces of his heart broke into even more pieces. Draco was so broken. His nose literally was, and Harry could tell that his spirit and his confidence was on its way out. "Words going to get out about us, you know? This is probably going to happen again. To both of us." Harry hated to be a pessimist, and he knew he should have chosen more uplifting words, but he figured it was better to talk to Draco about it now than later.

"I know." Harry was surprised at Draco's answer. "And you're okay with that?"

"No, I'm not okay with being beaten up daily and losing all of my friends, all because I decided to date some stuck-up Gryffindor whom all of my Slytherin housemates absolutely loathe," Draco replied hastily, facing Harry, a grin spreading across his face. "But it's worth it to me if I get to date that stuck-up Gryffindor whom all of my Slytherin housemates absolutely loathe. Because I happen to really, really, _really _like him."

Harry's fearful expression morphed into one of pure joy and happiness. Draco took a small step closer to Harry and extended his hand. Harry took it, his heart beating faster and faster, his head spinning wildly, his hands shaky and clammy, as Draco moved closer, and closer, and closer...


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

After a few days, the swelling in Draco's face began to dwindle, and he was able to return to class. By now, nearly everyone had heard Pansy talking about how Crabbe and Goyle weren't friends with Draco anymore and had beat him up. They had also heard from Crabbe and Goyle that Draco was spending a suspicious amount of time looking at or talking to Harry Potter. The Slytherins were not happy about it, and rather than confronting Draco about it to set the rumor straight, they chose to ignore him.

Draco felt like an outcast. He didn't walk the halls of Hogwarts with the same invincible strut and swagger he once had. He was no longer bothered by female admirers, or studied by every other boy in the school, in awe of the power Draco Malfoy possessed, how perfectly he was able to control the school- students and professors alike. Now when he walked the halls, no one gave him a second look. Most wouldn't even give him a first look. He sat by himself at meals, and every day after classes, he either went straight to his room or to the Gryffindor tower. He didn't feel welcome in the Slytherin common room anymore.

"I don't understand why they're treating me like this," Draco confessed one day to Harry. "I mean, I know they don't like us spending time together, but they shouldn't totally ostracize me for it. It's not like they know we're dating."

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised. "I figured Crabbe and Goyle would have told everyone that we were."

"If they did, the news would have gotten around to your Gryffindors, and you'd be in the same position I am," Draco said. He had a good point. No one was treating Harry any differently. If anything, people seemed happier to be around him, probably because of the major change in mood Harry had had over the past few weeks since he started dating Draco.

"You're right," Harry admitted. "I'd almost rather them know than not, though. I'd rather be hated for being 100% honest about who I am than be well-liked, but not be completely open about who I am."

"Well, that's what I said at first, too. And here I am, being completely honest, and I'm still hated by everyone."

"Draco, you're not being honest."

"I've had like five people ask me this week if there's something going on between us, and I have never once denied it."

"Yes, that's true. But you never said 'Yes, there is something going on between me and Harry. We're dating.'. Not telling the whole truth is the same thing as telling a lie."

"Maybe that's what you think," Draco retorted. He was tired of talking about this, tired of arguing with Harry. "It's not like you've been honest, either."

"I told Ron and Hermione."

"You and I both know that doesn't count."

"Well then, let's walk into dinner tonight, together, holding hands. Would that be honest enough for you?"

Draco's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't been expected Harry to suggest this. Blinking rapidly, he opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. Harry's voice lowered, and he said softly, "I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you, Draco. I'm just tired of pretending." Draco nodded in agreement. "I just know that if we do that, word will get out to my father. I'm sure he's got a Howler on the way for me now, just for a rumor going around that we're hanging out."

"You're probably right, Draco," Harry admitted. "But there comes a time when you have to forget about the plans that everyone else has for you, and do what _you _want, what makes _you _happy."

"Are you saying that you don't have a problem announcing to everyone tonight at dinner that we're a couple?" Draco asked, surprised.

"I did offer, didn't I? I don't say things like that just to say them," Harry said, placing his hand on Draco's knee. "I don't want to sneak around in secret anymore. I would rather not have to hide and be disliked than keep doing this." He motioned with his free hand around the Gryffindor tower. "I mean, this is romantic and all, but I want to actually talk to you in class and walk with you around the school and be seen with you in public."

Draco smiled and stood up. "Well, then, let's not wait. Let's go right now. I won't make you go down and clear everyone out of the common room first like I normally do. We'll just walk down the tower, together, and walk through the common room, together." Harry smiled. "Sounds good to me." Draco bit his lip and squeezed Harry's hand, clearly nervous. Harry squeezed back, whispering, "Don't be nervous. If this thing goes bad, at least we'll still have each other." Draco's pale cheeks turned to a rosy pink, and he looked down, a huge smile spreading across his face. "I know, I know, I know. Let's just go okay?" Harry nodded and pushed the door open, leading Draco down the steps and into the Gryffindor common room, never letting go of his hand.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Crabbe had a first year Hufflepuff backed up against the wall, shoving a textbook into his arms. "I need a report done on the history of trolls and it's due tomorrow," he growled, ignoring the fear in the other boy's eyes. "And you're going to do it."

"But...but...but I don't know anything about trolls! It's only my first year!" stammered the Hufflepuff boy, shaking in his shoes.

"Well then, let me direct you toward the library," Crabbe smirked, shoving the boy in the direction of the Hogwarts library. The younger boy stumbled and nearly tripped, but recovered and sped away, holding Crabbe's textbook, never looking back.

"Nice one!" Goyle said, patting his friend on the back. "Let's find another one. I got a potions essay I need someone to write." Crabbe nodded and the two sauntered towards the Great Hall. They had just set their eyes on a target, a strange second-year Ravenclaw who at the top of her year in potions, when suddenly Goyle felt a hand on his shoulder. The two spun around and were face-to-face with Pansy Parkinson. Her cheeks were flushed and she was out of breath, clearly having ran to catch up with them. "Did...you...guys...hear...about...Draco...?" she managed to get out, putting her hands on her knees and leaning over, panting. "And Harry?" Crabbe shot Goyle a quizzical look, and Goyle shrugged. They both turned their attention back to Pansy. "Talk to us," Crabbe demanded, crossing his arms. Goyle did the same.

"I...was...walking...here...and..." Pansy paused, catching her breath. Crabbe tapped his foot impatiently and Goyle sighed, shifting his weight and taking a hostile step forward. "Sorry," Pansy blurt out. "I ran here because I needed to tell you guys."

"Tell us what?" Crabbe asked, clearly frustrated. He glanced around for the Ravenclaw girl, who was nowhere to be found. "Thanks a lot, Pansy. You made us lose the girl who was going to do Goyle's potions report."

"You'll really thank me if you'll hear me out."

"Well then start talking."

"Okay." Pansy took another deep breath and started over. "I was walking back to our common room when I saw some Gryffindor girl come running down the hall, crying. She was that Weasley girl, Jenny? Whatever, it's not like I care. I mean, normally when I see a Gryffindor crying, it makes me feel good inside, because I know that one of us Slytherins probably made it happen." Pansy paused upon seeing the combination of anger and boredom on her friends' faces, and quickly tried to get back on track. "Anyway, the Weasley girl was running down the hall crying, and I didn't think much of it. But then, a whole flock of other Gryffindor girls and that weird blonde Ravenclaw that always hangs out with them, Loony or whatever her name is, were running after her. So I figured I might as well know what's going on. So I followed them down the corridor and they all ran into the girl's bathroom. I snuck in there and hid under one of the sinks and heard the whole thing. They were talking about how Harry is dating someone. A _boy_. They wouldn't say his name, they just kept saying 'him' or 'he'. So I figured, Oh, it's Ron. About time, right? I mean, I could have seen that coming. But after a while, I realized it wasn't Ron, because the Loony girl started talking about how the boy was a Slytherin." Pansy finally stopped talking, raising her eyebrows and waiting for Crabbe and Goyle's reactions.

"Are you going to finish?" Crabbe asked. Pansy was really annoying him right now, a lot more than usual.

"Well, I figured you would get the hint," Pansy began. When neither boy said anything, she sighed, exasperated, and shouted. "My God, they were talking about _Draco_!" Goyle's jaw dropped, and he turned to Crabbe. But Crabbe stood there, seemingly emotionless, staring at Pansy. "Please tell me you're joking." Pansy pursed her lips and shook her head slowly from side to side. "I wish I was. I'm just as unhappy about this as you are."

"Unhappy is an understatement." Crabbe grabbed Goyle's shirtsleeve and yanked him in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. "Come on, Pansy. We're going to see what's going on."

Pansy hesitated, and then gingerly took a step toward the boys. "You're not going to hurt him, are you?"

Crabbe paused and turned around so that he was facing Pansy. A big smile spread across his face and he broke out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. He hadn't laughed that hard in a very, very long time. He had to bend over and grab his stomach because he was laughing so hard. Pansy and Goyle, unsure of how to act, nervously began to join in, when suddently, Crabbe's head snapped up and he exploded. "Hurt him? Hurt him?" His normally deep voice raised an entire octave. "Hurt him?" he repeated, dumbfounded. "Pansy, Draco is my best friend!" He was shouting now. "I couldn't hurt him! Why would I hurt him? Because he was gay all of this time? Because he has a boyfriend now? Because he is dating Harry Potter? Oh God no, Pansy, _I'm_ not going to hurt him at all."

The color drained from Pansy's face at the realization that Crabbe was being ver sarcastic and was probably planning some sadistic beating for Draco and Harry. Goyle just looked at Crabbe, waiting for directions. Crabbe's smile grew exponentially and he grabbed Goyle's arm, pointing him in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. "You say the Weasley girl was coming from the Gryffindor common room?" Pansy gave a small nod. "Crabbe...please...show him a little mercy."

Crabbe's hands were balled into fists and his face was turning as red as the Gryffindor's scarves. "You stupid, stupid girl! Just because you still have feelings for that lying scumbag doesn't mean I have to! Draco Malfoy is nothing to me now. Wait until I tell Lucius. Oh God, that's going to be so much fun. Goyle, go to the owlrey now and send a letter to Lucius telling him that his baby boy has a little boyfriend. And that's Harry Potter!" He laughed maniacally and started walking toward the Gryffindor tower.

"Crabbe! You said you wouldn't hurt him!" Pansy called, her voice cracking.

"I'm not going to hurt him," Crabbe answered over his shoulder. "I'm going to kill him."


	13. Chapter 13

**NOTE:**

**Hey everyone! I just wanted to apologize for not updating in a while. I've been really REALLY busy between school and work and haven't had time to write. Sorry to leave you all hanging! But here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy :) Make sure you leave me some reviews to help me improve my writing! Thank you!**

**3 Rebecca**

Chapter 13

Draco and Harry tried to ignore the stares, but it was hard when a room that had just moments ago been so loud that your ears rang was now completely silent. Harry didn't loosen his grip on Draco's hand, however, and he was relieved that Draco didn't either. They stood motionless in the doorway, attempting to avert their eyes from the judgmental glares of their classmates. Harry finally managed to lift his gaze to meet Ron and Hermione's sympathetic eyes, and he gently pulled Draco over to his friends. Hermione smiled when they arrived and gave them a hearty greeting, and Ron did the same.

"Just smile and laugh, and pretend like we're actually talking about something of importance," Harry instructed under his breath. "Then maybe everyone will stop staring."

"Harry, you've just announced to the entire Gryffindor house that you and your arch-enemy are now a couple. Everyone is going to stare," Ron said matter-of-factly. Harry rolled his eyes and mumbled, "I know, I know. Just talk about something else."

Hermione's eyes lit up and she started rambling on about something that Professor Snape had said during her Potions class, laughing and smiling just a little bit too much. Everyone else seemed to buy it though, and slowly turned back to whatever they had been doing before Harry and Draco's grand entrance.

"You can stop now," Harry said, cutting Hermione off mid-sentence. "God, how long until this reaches the rest of the school?" Although he was humiliated beyond belief and was more nervous than he was before his first Quidditch game, he still was holding onto Draco's hand. There was nothing that could make him let go. He really needed Draco right now. He needed Draco's support, to know that he wasn't alone in this. He heard a muffled cry from across the room and looked over. Ginny Weasley had her head in her hands, and a few of the Gryffindor girls and Luna were patting her on the back and hugging her. Harry's heartbeat quickened and he turned away from the sight.

"Not long," Ron replied, nodding his head toward the herd of girls running after Ginny. Harry's heart sank, and he glanced at Draco, who was even paler than usual.

It fascinated Harry how blue Draco's eyes were. How even in this moment, when they were both nervous and scared and relieved all at the same time, his eyes never managed to lose their sparkle. Those eyes were the things that drew Harry in in the first place. He gave Draco's hand a quick squeeze, and Draco returned the look, managing to force a small half smile.

"Hey, Harry." Harry spun around, finding himself face to face with Lavender Brown. She looked very uncomfortable, like she wanted to be anywhere but there. "We were just wondering..." Her voice trailed off and she looked back to her group of friends. They just stared back blankly, not offering any help. Lavender sighed and turned back to Harry.

"Why Draco's here?" Harry offered. She nodded uncertainly.

"I think you can figure that out on your own," Harry concluded, looking down at his and Draco's entwined hands. Lavender followed his gaze and bit her lip, nodding. Her cheeks turned as red as Ron's hair, and she quickly retreated.

"I don't know if this was such a good idea," Draco admitted, finally releasing Harry's hand. "How am I supposed to face my Slytherins?"

But no one got the opportunity to answer. Draco's question was abruptly interruped by a series of loud banging noises coming from the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. "MALFOY!" the person on the other side of the door roared. "YOU OPEN THIS DOOR NOW! WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" Every head in the room turned to face Draco, who was ashen colored now.

The room was buzzing with questions. "Who is that?" "Who's there?" "What do they want?"

"I know who it is." Draco's statement drew the attention of every student in the room, who were now listening intently to him. "It's Crabbe. And he's probably got a whole army of Slytherins with him." He stood a stiff step toward the door.

"Draco, don't open it. We don't have to let them in," Hermione said. "They're just going to destroy you if you let them in. They can't get in. Just leave them alone and they'll go away."

"If I don't confront them now, it will only be worse when I finally do. Confrontation is inevitable," Draco explained, taking more steps toward the door, reaching his arm out until his hand was grasped around the knob. Twisting the knob, he inhaled sharply, and pushed the heavy wood door open.


	14. Chapter 14

**NOTE:**

**Hello everyone! Sorry again that I haven't been writing much. I have had a ton of hours at work the past few weeks and all my teachers have decided to start giving homework now! Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Sorry again that it took so long to write!**

**Love, Rebecca**

Chapter 14

Setting the white piece of parchment on the table to next him, Lucius Malfoy closed his eyes and inhaled a deep, deep breath. Letting it out very slowly, his eyes fluttered open and he shouted, "Narcissa! Come here, now!"

Moments later, he heard the clicking of his wife's high heeled shoes nearing the doorway to his office. He was still sitting in his chair, stroking his pet owl, doing everything he could to avoid looking at the letter the owl had delivered. He heard a soft knock on the door, and he said, "Come in."

Narcissa timidly stepped into the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. She sauntered over to her husband and sat down in a chair across from him, a coffee table littered with old isses of the _Daily Prophet _separating them. "What is it, dear?" Narcissa brought a nervous finger up to her bright red mouth and bit her perfectly rounded nail.

Lucius handed Narcissa the parchment wordlessly, a stone cold look on his face. Narcissa studied him for a moment before she looked down and opened the letter. When she did, her mouth formed into a surprised "o" and she looked up at Lucius. "Dear, what is this? Is this some kind of joke?"

"Does it sound like a joke? Draco's little friend clearly said that our son has been sneaking around with Harry Potter. And that rumor has it that he is _dating _him. Our son is _dating _our Lord's arch-enemy." Lucius' voice remained calm, even, and objective, something that came as a great surprise to Narcissa, who was still biting her nail. Unsure of how to console her firey-tempered husband, she opted to remain quiet and wait for him to make the first move.

"We have to tell the Dark Lord," Lucius continued. "He needs to know about this. He can do what he wishes with our sad excuse of a son."

"Lucius, be rational," Narcissa interjected, distressed. "Draco is our _son_. He would never betray us like this. Someone could have easily bewitched him or put him under a love potion. The Dark Lord will surely punish Draco, but he is not a parent. You love Draco, dear. He is your son. And no matter how disappointed you are in him right now, he is still your son and _you_ need to handle this. We cannot call on the Dark Lord for everything, dear."

"Of course we can call on him, Narcissa! You clearly have not been aware of all of the heartache and havoc Harry Potter has brought to our family and countless others. Do you even realize that our son's little boyfriend killed our Lord!" Lucius roared.

"Our son's alleged boyfriend," Narcissa corrected. "We don't even know if this is true. That is why you need to step up and be a father and go down to the school to find out. There is no sense even having this conversation if this is some silly prank."

"I don't think is a prank, Narcissa," Lucius argued, finally rising from his chair. "I am going to that school. I'm going to demand that they remove Harry Potter from that building. Our Draco has more right to be there than that filthy mudblood."

"Dear, don't say those things. They are not even true, his parents both attended Hogwarts and-"

"Do not interrupt me, Narcissa!" screamed Lucius, throwing his fist down on the coffee table, sending a crack splintering across the ancient wood. Narcissa gasped and covered her mouth. Lucius took a threatening step toward Narcissa and hissed, "I will not have Draco dating another boy, let alone Harry Potter."

"Lucius, I don't want to step in and intrude, but you have to realize that some kids go through these phases, and-"

"Narcissa!" Lucius bellowed, shoving her out of the doorway so he could leave the room. "Stop it, just _stop _it! Draco is my son, I will do what I wish!"

"He is my son, too!" Narcissa retorted, steadying herself on a nearby cabinet. Her shoulder was throbbing from where it had hit the corner when Lucius had pushed her. "I will not let you do anything to _our _son!"

Lucius laughed and shook his head. Narcissa's shoulders relaxed and she sighed in relief, thinking he was finally getting some sense through his thick head. But suddenly, Lucius' laugh became almost maniacal and he shoved the folded letter in his wife's face, hysterically screaming, "If what this letter says is true, Draco is no son of mine!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The halls, which had moments ago been roaring with the gossiping whispers of the hundreds of Hogwarts students, were now completely silent due to Lucius Malfoy's thundering footsteps invading the corridors. He didn't seem to focus on anyone in particular; his gaze was on some distant, invisible object at the other end of the hall. He averted his eyes from every person that he came in contact with, including old classmates who were now Hogwarts professors. Narcissa chased after him, her heels clicking and clacking. She had to run to keep up with his long, purposeful strides, taking three or four steps to equal one of his. Not as enraged as her husband, she gave the petrified students sideways glances and even smiled at a few of them who looked particularly frightened. But Lucius remained cold as stone, crisply turning corners until he abruptly stopped in front of the heavy oak door to the Gryffindor common room, where his so-called "son" was rumored to be.

Narcissa, who wasn't paying attention, slammed into the back of her husband, giving a soft squeak before quickly backing away. Lucius' shoulders tensed, and she could sense his rage. "I'm so sorry, dear, I'm sorry," she blubbered, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder, doing everything she could to not infuriate him more. "I'm so sorry, I'm-"

"Shut up, Narcissa." Lucius' voice was cool and even, which scared Narcissa even more. "Unless you know the password to get this damn door open, get out of my way." Narcissa backed away from her husband and remained silent. Lucius impatiently stared at the portrait of the Fat Lady, who innocently stared back, waiting for him to recite the password. Finally, Lucius had enough and commanded her to open the door.

"I can't do that, sir. Not unless you have the password."

"Do you know who I am? I am Lucius Malfoy! You will open this door, right now!"

"Of course I know who you are, sir. You are quite well-known in the wizarding world. I am just confused as to how you were able to enter Hogwarts," the Fat Lady explained.

Lucius grinned, thinking of his letters back and forth to his friend, Severus Snape, who had helped him devise a plan to get in. "I got...special permission."

"Well, that's good and all, sir, but I can't let you in unless you have a password," the Fat Lady responded.

Lucius whipped around and grabbed the collar of the first Gryffindor he saw. Pushing him against the wall, he hissed, "Open that damn door. Right now." The boy's face drained of color, and he squirmed to try to get out of Lucius' firm grasp. "O-o-o-okay, sir, just l-l-let me down, pl-pl-please." Lucius dropped the boy, but didn't break eye contact. The boy gulped and trembled, running over to the door and whispering a password. The Fat Lady reluctantly opened the door, and Lucius pushed the boy out of the way, darting into the scarlet and gold room.

His eyes frantically searched the room for Draco, for his famous white-blonde hair. When Lucius' eyes finally found it, he had to give himself a minute to take in the whole picture: there was a boy, about Draco's size, with the same color hair, talking to the Weasley boy and some unidentified mudblood. But there was a fourth person, a boy, a little shorter than Draco, with messy, dark brown hair. And glasses.

And a lightning scar.

"Draco." It was a whisper, but the room fell silent, and the boy with the white-blonde hair spun around. His face froze in terror, and Lucius could have sworn that the boy's hand had been entwined with the other boy's just a moment ago.

"Father?" The boy sounded like Draco, too. Lucius cocked his head in confusion, taking a step closer. The boy could be Draco's twin. He even was wearing the green robes of Slytherin. What were the odds that a boy that looked and sounded just like his son would be placed in the same house as Draco?

Emotion finally spread across Lucius' face. First, confusion. Then, nervousness. And finally, he desperately and helplessly turned to Narcissa, who was silently standing in the doorway, waiting for Lucius to do something. She gingerly took a step forward, and then another until she stood by side by side with her husband. Then, in a risky move, she wrapped her think arm around his waist and leaned against him. Surprisingly, he didn't try to push her away. They just stood there, motionless, staring at the boy.

"Mother? Father? What are you doing here?" The blonde boy looked extremely upset, and his eyes were quickly filling with tears, threatening to spill over any time now. Lucius opened his mouth to speak, but stopped.

Narcissa finally found words. "Well, we had gotten a letter from someone at Hogwarts, and we were a bit concerned about its contents..." her voice trailed off.

The blonde boy and the boy with the lightning scar exchanged a lingering glance, before they both turned their attention back to Narcissa and Lucius. The blonde boy pursed his lips and finally spoke. "Father, please say something. Or Mother. Just someone, say something." His voice cracked and a few tears escaped his bright blue eyes. Lucius couldn't help but think that he had never seen eyes that blue before, except on one other person.

Narcissa gave a small, sad, smile. She nodded toward the boy with the scar on his forehead. "Is it true." The blonde boy gave the slighest nod of his head, and immediately looked down at his shoes, blushing profusely. Narcissa sighed helplessly, and turned toward her husband. Lucius swallowed, and then made eye contact with the blonde boy for the first time, whispering, "And who are you?"


End file.
